A place for those who find and create meaning through words
Judy and I visited recently The John Dickinson Plantation, a historic site located off Delaware’s Route One just south of the Dover Air Force Base and managed by Delaware’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. We wandered the grounds for about a half-hour then took an information-rich hour-long mansion tour. Dickinson earned the moniker “The... Continue Reading →
The following reading is an excerpt from the short story "Poseidon's Purge," part of my ebook This Way to the Egress, available online from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I hope you enjoy it! Click Here to Find This Way to the Egress on Amazon Click Here to Find This Way to the Egress on... Continue Reading →
We sometimes overlook an emotional-health principle many pre-adolescents have difficulty internalizing— adversity and defeat are parts of everyone’s life. We’re a Little Like Lincoln is a mini-lesson for grades six through eight normalizing thoughts and feelings associated with struggle by examining perceptions of “greatness” and how individuals overcome setbacks. A brainstorming activity involving key words and sketches... Continue Reading →
Academic interventions are more than individualized action plans designed and implemented to improve failing grades. Mindfully and cooperatively designed interventions provide opportunities to build relationships and soft skills related to emotional intelligence, adaptability, and resiliency. Delving into some of the philosophies behind the practice of intervention can also provide educators with new insights into assessment,... Continue Reading →
Proofreading can be a habit just as much as a set of skills, and consistent use of informal writing checklists can help to foster this habit in students. Structured proofreading is an ubiquitous part of composing essays, assembling projects, and writing reports, the big summative projects occurring every-once-in-a-while in our jam-packed curriculums, but are occasional applications... Continue Reading →
We don’t give a teenager the car keys to run errands without having taught the young person how to drive, so why would we bombard students with assignments from multiple teachers without having taught them how to manage workloads? Where do they even begin? Prioritizing tasks can be difficult for adults with excellent executive functioning... Continue Reading →
A knock on your classroom’s door stops your math lesson. You look up from your book and see your teacher crossing the room. “Students, he’s here! Please welcome Dr. Gesundheit!” The special guest your teacher has been talking about for weeks bounds through the door. “Hello, everyone!” You can’t believe your eyes. Dr. Gesundheit stands not much taller than... Continue Reading →
Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in rooms he rented from bricklayer Jacob Graff at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia. The home is administered by the National Parks Service and is open to public tours. The desire for independence from Great Britain grew slowly in American colonists' hearts. Their central grievance with the mother... Continue Reading →
Gus and Gus, a Rehoboth Beach boardwalk food stand operating since 1956, serves an outstanding burger. I stood a few hours ago at their ocean-facing counter and watched my cheese, fried-onion, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mustard masterpiece come together on a grill possibly original to the stand. The grill is the magic ingredient. Grilling lore tells us my... Continue Reading →
To all of our teachers in the Eastern Shore Writers Association (and ESWA writers interested in education), please check your inboxes for an invitation to the Thursday, May 8th session The Subject is Writing beginning at 7:30 PM via Zoom. We will explore practical techniques to promote writing across subject areas and grade levels-- and... Continue Reading →
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